


Senior Graduation Project Paper

by AlexSmithxox



Series: Essays [3]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: AP Psychology, Cross-stitch, Essays, High School, Research, Senior Project, Sewing, Therapy, ap literature and composition, creative therapy, graduation project, needlepoint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-12 17:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21480394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexSmithxox/pseuds/AlexSmithxox
Summary: This was the research paper I wrote for senior graduation project but it was canceled for my county. Many schools still do it for graduation requirement so this is for people who need a rough guideline. This is written in MLA by a tired senior. All works cited in the authors notes.
Series: Essays [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1197964
Kudos: 2





	Senior Graduation Project Paper

On Expressive Therapy: Cross-Stitching and Other Needle Projects 

* * *

For many, the mentioning of therapy can lead to an uncomfortable encounter with silence and the avoidance of eye contact but for those who use the creative alternative form of the practice, there is room for conversation on the topic. A wide variety of mental and physical trauma has been addressed through various crafting methods such as musical participation, painting, and the multiple forms of needlework. For both physical and mental therapy there have been many methods applied to treat trauma positively and give the patient the responsibility of a self-paced form of recovery. These methods have been mostly targeted towards females that are aged forty or over, but the process has features that can prove beneficial to a younger and more inspired generation. From students plagued with anxiety and depression to a hospitalized patient with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s, the alternative treatment paths available can provide relief of mental stress. It also interacts as a tentative form of physical therapy, the ability to grasp a slim needle and direct it into a piece of fabric can be exceedingly difficult for those with tremors and nerve pain but offer continuous practice. Through research on this topic, many have gained an understanding of how a creative outlet can interact with the human psyche in a positive way and discover how people can successfully cope with distress or trauma by taking an artistic and self-paced route of therapy. A simple needle and thread can help those in need of an expressive outlet through creative therapy. 

The positive impacts of creative therapy are centered around mental exercise. It has been used to treat those with intrusive thoughts brought on by clinical depression as well as illnesses brought on by advancing age. In a research study consisting of 3,500 active knitters reported in The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, it was found that “81% of respondents with depression reported feeling happy after knitting" (Abendstern, Tucker, Wilberforce, Jasper, & Challis, 2016, pg. 26). Another study published in The Journal of Eating and Weight Disorders showed that approximately “75% of anorexia nervosa patients taught to knit reported calming aspects and lessened intensity of fears and thoughts” (Clave-Brule, Mazloum, Park, Harbottle, & Birmingham, 2009). For many who turn to self-mutilation in order to ease mental suffering, finding an alternate course that is healthy for the mind and body is difficult. Therefore, focusing on tasks that are not mentally taxing but leave no room for self-deprecating thoughts is vital to the artistic therapeutic process. A large portion of adults aged 60 or above find themselves faced with difficulties as a result of aging ears and such pastimes like sewing keep the brain active. Through a study funded by the Mayo Clinic it has been “observed that cognitive activities such as computer use, playing games, reading books, craft actives (quilting, knitting, etc.) … were associated with 30%-50% reduced odds of having MCI” (Geda, Topazian, Roberts, Roberts, Knopman, Pankratz, Christianson, Boeve, Tangalos, Ivnik, & Peterson, 2012). Of course, needlework is not just for older adults, it can bring comfort to children, teens, and young adults. Children tend to learn coping skills through observation and hands-on experience. Bonnie Thomas, author of Creative Coping Skills for Children: Emotional Support Through Arts and Crafts Activities reminds her readers that all children are different by saying “some children need quiet and soothing activities in order to calm down, where others need more physical activity and physical sensory input in order to calm their bodies and mind” (Thomas 10). Sewing combines these two different requirements successfully and allows for a large amount of ingenuity that all children need. The repeated process of sewing and needle use is very mentally stimulating and this routine, if implemented more or recognized as a more valid theory, could potentially help millions. 

In addition to effective mental development, needle projects contribute to the physical health of patients. There are combined aspects of coordination, fine motor abilities, creativity, and patience used to complete a piece no matter the size. In such cases as quilting there is strain on one’s muscles which has proved helpful to those who take up the craft as part of a recovery process after hospitalization or diagnosis. For Ricky Tims, a famous musician and world-class quilter, quilting played a major role in recovery from a quadruple bypass surgery. In an interview with Rebecca Collins for The Quilter Magazine, Tims reflects on his recent surgery by saying “I recovered very quickly from the surgery. I was home after just five days and I began working on my commemorative heart quilt” (Tims). After weeks working on the large project, Tims noticed his recovery progressing swifter than the schedule presented by his doctor. For some institutions like assisted living communities that work on the betterment of health, arts and crafts have been implemented to help many. For patients being affected by Alzheimer’s, twiddle or fidget mats have been used to encourage activity. The Alzheimer’s WA has found that “creating sensory experiences through the use of fiddle boards, twiddle mats and aprons, different textured objects ... help[s] improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia” (Alzheimer's WA). Often it is the patients who compile odds and ends to add to their mats and this stimulation offers up a healthy and rewarding experience for them. Older adults with diseases such as Alzheimer’s take comfort in such objects and the process, but it is also important to note that it is only a way to improve a significant amount or delay, not to completely heal. Susan Buchalter, a specialist in art therapy and author of Art Therapy and Creative Coping Techniques for Older Adults, hopes others in the medical field understands that “older adults often endure many losses and physical disabilities” (Buchalter 13). Those aged 50+ can take up needle craft as hobby and it could ultimately end up being a preventative measure. As said before, young adults can also draw comfort from expressive therapy, not just the older generation. Clinical psychologist Ann Collier, in her book Using Textile Arts and Handcrafts in Therapy with Women: Weaving Lives Back Together, remarks that the process of “textile-making can have a significantly positive impact on physical disabilities” (Collier 166). For many, efforts towards assisting those with poor physical capabilities can be found through crafting. Needle crafts are constructive to the physical elements of a client’s body and will lead to the betterment of their health.

Creative therapy has been recognized as a valid method of therapy by many doctors and the psychologists who recommended it to patients. Book stores such as Barnes & Nobel sell art therapy books which allow adults to focus on coloring inside the lines instead of negative thoughts. Through this process there is personal growth and eventually a sense of achievement once a picture has been completed. This can be adapted into needlework with a canvas being swapped with fabric and a colored pencil for a needle or two. Cross stitch or X-stitch is simple in both theory and reality. It takes two “stitches” to complete a square and as little as twenty squares to make heart that is half an inch tall and wide. A project can take anywhere from three minutes to a year depending on a stitcher’s constancy, experience, and amount of time they have available. Occupational therapists, a licensed therapist who strive to return a patient’s capability to complete the average ADL or activities of daily living, have implemented cross stitch into programs to improve motor skills and memory.

Whereas older forms of therapy have been commended by the vast majority of professionals, creative therapy is effective. Patients who have used needlework to cope have shown signs of drastic improvements over time. Through rigorous research and case studies that have spanned from weeks to months to years, medical professionals have proven creative therapy to be beneficial to patients who require mental and/or physical solace. From embroidery to crochet, expressive therapy is the way to go for many looking to take their therapy step by step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work Cited  
“Benefits of Sensory Engagement in People Living with Dementia.” Alzheimer's WA, Alzheimer's WA, 19 Mar. 2018, www.alzheimerswa.org.au.  
Buchalter, Susan. Art Therapy and Creative Coping Techniques for Older Adults. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011.  
Challis, David, et al. “Occupational Therapists in Community Mental Health Teams for Older People in England: Findings from a Five-Year Research Programme.” British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 22 July 2016, pp. 20–29., https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0308022616657840?journalCode=bjod.  
Clave-Brule M, Mazloum A, Park RJ, Harbottle EJ, Birmingham CL. Managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting. Eat Weight Disord. 2009 Mar;14(1):e1-5. doi: 10.1007/bf03354620. PubMed PMID: 19367130.  
Collier, Ann. Using Textile Arts and Handcrafts in Therapy with Women: Weaving Lives Back Together. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011.  
“North Wales.” North Wales, 14 Aug. 2010.  
Geda, Yonas E et al. “Engaging in cognitive activities, aging, and mild cognitive impairment: a population-based study.” The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences vol. 23,2 (2011): 149-54. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.23.2.149  
Thomas, Bonnie. Creative Coping Skills for Children: Emotional Support through Arts and Crafts Activities. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2009.

**Author's Note:**

> Work Cited  
“Benefits of Sensory Engagement in People Living with Dementia.” Alzheimer's WA, Alzheimer's WA, 19 Mar. 2018, www.alzheimerswa.org.au.  
Buchalter, Susan. Art Therapy and Creative Coping Techniques for Older Adults. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011.  
Challis, David, et al. “Occupational Therapists in Community Mental Health Teams for Older People in England: Findings from a Five-Year Research Programme.” British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 22 July 2016, pp. 20–29., https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0308022616657840?journalCode=bjod.  
Clave-Brule M, Mazloum A, Park RJ, Harbottle EJ, Birmingham CL. Managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting. Eat Weight Disord. 2009 Mar;14(1):e1-5. doi: 10.1007/bf03354620. PubMed PMID: 19367130.  
Collier, Ann. Using Textile Arts and Handcrafts in Therapy with Women: Weaving Lives Back Together. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011.  
“North Wales.” North Wales, 14 Aug. 2010.  
Geda, Yonas E et al. “Engaging in cognitive activities, aging, and mild cognitive impairment: a population-based study.” The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences vol. 23,2 (2011): 149-54. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.23.2.149  
Thomas, Bonnie. Creative Coping Skills for Children: Emotional Support through Arts and Crafts Activities. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2009.


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